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Archive for the category: art
:: The Museum of Jurassic Technology
Posted by Vanessa on July 23, 2008 | Permalink
One of my favourite places in LA is the eerie, uncanny Museum of Jurassic Technology located in Culver City. I think I read that it has won an award as a work of art, and once you visit, it’s easy to see why. Locked behind a large steel door that gives it a perpetually closed look, upon first entering you watch a very bizarre video on the ‘Jurassic age’ and then meander through a series of strange and wonderous exhibits which include a room based around Napolean; a display of model trailer parks; a room dedicated to old wives tale cures made in sculpture form and a display of cat’s cradles. Phones dot the walls and make strange noises. Lifting the receiver of one you hear odd wailings that turn out to be the voice of the opera singer whose story you later encounter, another will be the barking of a dog.
Categories: about us, adventure, art, local guide, los angeles
Tags: , adventure, gothic, jmt, jurassic museum
:: The Museum for Objects of Vertu
Posted by Sonja on July 11, 2008 | Permalink
Wouldn’t this be a wonderful place to spend the weekend?
This is the outside of The Museum for Objects of Vertu. Inside is a tiny, dark room, in corsetry and textiles artist Fleur Oakes’s studio, where she holds the tiniest exhibitions. It’s in deepest suburban north London, in the grounds of an amazing rambling old house, that contains many artists’ studios in many strange small buildings around the grounds. Last time I went there I felt I’d been invited to a private party held a hundred years ago. There’s an exhibition on this weekend (and by appointment until 27th July) and so if you like ramshackle gardens, ancient haberdashery, cups of tea and tiny handcrafted miraculous works of art you should go.
It’s open Saturday 12th and Sunday 13th July from 12noon - 6pm, at 89 Park Road, New Barnet (take the Piccadilly line to Cockfosters - it’s always worth a journey to the end of the line…)
Categories: adventure, art, london
Tags:
:: Robot lovin’
Posted by Kirsty on July 3, 2008 | Permalink
I’ve totally fallen for this adorable little robot dude by Shuusei on Etsy. And, as we move into our new flat next weekend, I decided it was the opportune time to purchase some art, dahlink!
I’ve been hanging around on the edges of Etsy for a while now, looking at all the gorgeous, beautiful things from so many talented people, but this is the first time I’ve bought anything, and I’m very impressed. It’s such an easy website to use and Shuusei was incredibly helpful and lovely. I definitely recommend her!
Categories: art, style
Tags: art, etsy, print, robot, shuusei
:: For good pictures
Posted by Sonja on April 21, 2008 | Permalink
What is it about Pictures? I love pictures. I like to look at nice pictures. I like to go into the gallery shop, after looking at Pictures in an exhibition, and look at more Pictures on postcards. I have a box file for pictures I like, and this smaller box for smaller pictures I like. Both my Picture boxes are full.
I found my dream picture box online. It’s called VADS, the online resource for visual arts. It has all the picture archives from lots of museums, universities, galleries etc etc. Translation: lots of nice Pictures. You can sign up and then store all your favourites in a ‘lightbox’. The pictures are sorted in collections, depending on where they’re from - the Crafts Council, Design Council, or the Frederick Parker Chair Collection. Et cetera.
I can’t show any here because they’re all copyrighted, but I promise it’s a box of delights.
Categories: about us, art, design
Tags:
:: Mark Pawson and possessions
Posted by Sonja on April 12, 2008 | Permalink
Last week I went to a private view of Mr Mark Pawson’s new exhibition at the Horse Hospital, one of London’s best venues, and miraculously still little known. A bit like Mark himself - one of our best visual conjurers, but miraculously still little known. He probably likes it like that.
He prints his own signs, badges and postcards. He collects things, mostly plastic figures, and always completes the set. He works in bright colours. He is the coal miner of culture.
I invited my friend Katie, who recently had all her possessions stolen and destroyed in a lock-up break-in. As we entered the exhibition, and I saw what a feast of objects Mark had assembled, I had some misgivings about bringing Katie. She saw one of his signs, that said something about listening to all the unplayed records you’ve ever bought, and reading all the unread books, and had “a moment”.
But we stayed and looked at his full set of plastic Kinder polar bears, and read his ‘cultural workers’ manifesto, and Katie seemed stoical about her losses. I may buy her a set of his badges, to set her back off down the road to ownership.
Categories: adventure, art, design, london
Tags:
:: No Letters
Posted by Joelle on April 7, 2008 | Permalink
Leigh Clarke - Love
The trouble with a lot of contemporary art, and also with so much of the media, is it so often focuses on the negative aspects of modern life. Important stuff I know, but it can get you down, especially since a trip to a gallery is supposed to be an enjoyable way to spend a Saturday afternoon.
Read more…
Categories: art, london
Tags: art, hackney, leigh clarke, nettie horn, posters
:: William Morris - my new hero!
Posted by Sonja on March 31, 2008 | Permalink
Oh don’t you love it when you find a new hero?
I went to the William Morris Museum in Walthamstow.
Amongst all the tapestries, stained glass windows and old cloth-bound books was a piece of linoleum (yes, linoleum) designed by the man himself. We’re talking linoleum from the 1800s! And they found it in a skip.
They also had his satchel, that he used to carry all his socialist pamphlets around in. He was quite the socialist, being against mass-manufacturing, for workers’ rights, and believing in good design as the route to a decent life for all (he put it better than that - seriously, you need to visit this museum).
He also had some interesting things to say about pattern, and they had his original designs, blocked in on squared paper like a cross stitch pattern, and then the resulting woven fabric.
I’m already planning a second visit. It’s pure pattern porn. Mixed in with a bit of politics.
Speaking of politics, “they” are trying to shut the place down. Disgrace.
Categories: adventure, art, craft, design, london
Tags:
:: The Invisible Woman
Posted by Sonja on March 17, 2008 | Permalink
“If you’re vibrant and interesting in your thirties and forties, it doesn’t stop when you get to your fifties or sixties.”
Thank you, Screaming Lulu - a fiftysomething having a good rant about the state of women in today’s society, while stitching up some bitchin’ pictures on her sewing machine - that’s all I need in a four minute movie. Her film will be on the tele soon, but you’ll want to watch it now, or feast your thread-hungry eyes on her website.
“I’m a part of that huge babyboomer generation that fought and marched in the streets and I think women of our generation should carry on doing that.”
Make that women of all generations.
:: Cross over the road
Posted by Sonja on March 4, 2008 | Permalink
My boy and I fancied going to an exhibition, but we didn’t fancy public transport, so we decided to go for a walk in the park instead.
There is a small gallery opposite my block of flats (I can see it from my kitchen window), but I’d never been in before.
We went in.
And happily so - the exhibition was all about pattern, particularly graphic pixelated patterns, with plenty of craft influence. Just my cup of tea.
There was a rose made from vinyl crosses stuck on the wall to look like cross stitch. There were cards wrapped in thread, with photographs printed on the thread. I got a belly laugh from a video of a JCB doing a painting.
The girl who does the cross stitch stickers was there, so I can tell you her name is Polly Glass. She has some really amazing homewares stuff that you have to do a bit of hand-crafting yourself to complete. I’m trying to decide whether to buy the rose and stick it on my new desk at work… You can email her if you’d like to do the same.
:: A Pattern Emerging is on at the Library Gallery, Edwards Lane, London N16. It’s open Mon - Sat 10am-5pm and Sun 1pm-5pm until Sunday 9th March. And you can drop in on me for a cup of tea afterwards.
Categories: adventure, art, craft, design, london
Tags:
:: Dotty - Project the Second
Posted by Vanessa on March 4, 2008 | Permalink
Hello! I’m feeling quite pleased with myself because I just finished this bag, a take on the clutch in my ‘Bend-the-Rules’ sewing book. Of course, it’s extremely imperfect and is only my first take on the project (even in this picture you can see loose seams and the button needs securing) but I have plenty of spare fabric to practice better versions with. I went on an exciting shopping trip down to the fashion district (the nearest subway stop is Pershing Square) where I was astounded by the sheer number of fabric shops and the way rolls of fabric were stacked ceiling high in each. Fortunately, I had a tour guide who helped me find the best shops to go to, and the fabric and button for this bag is from Michael Levine. When I get better at sewing on my machine, I’ll definitely be heading back to buy some more interesting fabrics.
Even though I messed up the lining in this particular clutch (it’s a bit lumpy and my ’see Jane run’ fabric is upside down from one angle) I’m proud of myself. I threaded my machine up on my own, without having to phone Kerry or have a refresher lesson. One step closer to being an efficient sewing machine user!